Perse pupil set to show off bushcraft skills at national show

31 Jan 2018

Ben Abbott (Year 10) will be following in the footsteps of the likes of Ray Mears and Steve Backshall after being invited to give a presentation at this year’s Bushcraft Show.

He already writes a regular column for the magazine Bushcraft & Survival Skills, giving a youthful viewpoint on a hobby that has fascinated him since being taken on an outdoors adventure by his family at the age of just four.

Now Ben has been offered the chance to talk about his passion at the country’s biggest bushcraft event, which takes place in Derbyshire from May 26 to 28.

He is relishing the prospect of speaking at a show that has previously featured TV bushcraft expert Ray Mears and naturalist Steve Backshall, host of BBC show Deadly 60.

Ben said: “At first I was really nervous, but it’s a great opportunity in terms of public speaking and it’s an honour as well.

“I’m very excited. To be able to speak in front of so many people and alongside people such as John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman, the author of The SAS Survival Handbook, or Ray Mears, who are so widely respected in the bushcraft community is great.”

Ben said as well as being a satisfying hobby, bushcraft had also helped build his self-confidence.

He added: “I think it’s a really rewarding activity, especially with the things you make. For example, if you produce a water filtration system, you’ve made something that has a practical aspect to it as well.

“Objects like a knife are important in bushcraft because you can use it to do anything, but I think knowledge is the greatest tool you can pack. Not only is it the lightest, but it’s also the most useful because you can put everything you’ve learned into the situation you’re in.”

Listen to Ben talk more about his bushcraft experiences and writing about his hobby below.